As shown in FIG. 1, a gymnastic ring set comprises two seven inch diameter rings 10, each suspended at the lower end of a strap 12. The strap 12 is typically nylon webbing. The upper end of the strap 12 is attached to the lower end of a rope 14. The rope 14 may be hemp or steel (wire). The rope 14 terminates at its upper end in suitable attachment means, such as a hook 16 which is attached to suitable suspension means, such as a swivel mounted loop 18 suspended from a fixed point 20, such as a ceiling or a free-standing, floor-mounted frame. Hereinafter, "ring set" means the ring 10, strap 12, rope 14, and attachment means 16.
The gymnast grasps the rings 10 with his hands and performs various maneuvers involving body positions both above and below the rings. During some of these maneuvers, such as those involving a transition between body positions above the rings to those below, tremendous forces may be generated. These forces may reach a magnitude of as much as EIGHT times the gymnast's weight. In the case of rings suspended either by a hemp rope or from a free-standing, floor-mounted frame, some of these forces are reacted in the rope or frame, respectively. In the case of rings suspended either by a wire rope or from a ceiling, neither of which is very resilient, these forces are reacted in the gymnast's shoulders, which may cause injury. This is especially true when the gymnast is not superbly conditioned, or when the extreme-force-generating maneuver is incorrectly performed.